Vedant Trivedi (Special Arrangement) NEW DELHI: 47/0 was the score. Four balls later it was 47/3. A sense of unease crept in as India appeared to have lost their early momentum against Pakistan during their crucial 2026 U-19 World Cup match on Sunday. Against the same opponent, India had recently admitted to conspiracy in the U-19 Asia Cup final.
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And when the hype surrounding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre died down with their early release, it was time to discover a savior. In step, Ahmedabad-based dough Vedant Trivedi. When India needed a hero, Vedant, who chipped in with a 98-ball 68, became Pakistan’s villain.Trivedi showed remarkable discipline on a pitch that was difficult to bat on, rescuing the Indian team from a precarious situation and allowing them to post a total of 252 innings. The 18-year-old cricketer has made a strong comeback after failing to cross the 15-run mark in previous matches and has now finished as the man-of-the-match. “Aim to get past the 30-run mark”“My opening couple of shots against Pakistan connected quite well and it gave me confidence that it was going to be my day. I focused on batting as long as possible. In the previous matches, runs were not flowing freely with the bat. I just told myself that at this stage I will focus on breaking the 30-run mark as the nets have been going well,” said Vedant during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.While the 18-year-old cricketer’s strong mentality has certainly reflected in his shot selection, he maintains the same intent off the field as well. Trivedi has not consumed sugar since the age of 10 and refrains from eating biscuits in a strong display of inner discipline and clarity.“Idolising Shubman Gill”The Gujarati batsman adores Shubman Gill as his association with the game started in a similar way to that of Team India’s captain, considering the role his father played. Interestingly, the cricketer mimicked Gill’s celebration in the home match as well.
Vedant Trivedi (Special Arrangement)
Trivedi’s father Alpesh brought him 300 deliveries a day and created a strong starting frame with an emphasis on technique rather than strength. Eventually, the 18-year-old cricketer joined a coaching academy, which meant more sacrifices and covered 80 to 100 kilometers a day. Trivedi worked extensively with coaches Hem Joshipura and Jesal Karia and improved his game.“Conversion 40s to tons, not relying on energy”Joshipura helped instill awareness and clarity about the batter’s strengths and areas where work was deemed necessary. “The best thing is that he implemented the feedback immediately. Vedant worked on quick singles, hitting boundaries down the ground and also staying patient. I told him that power is not the only requirement to score runs, which took his consistency to the next level, especially during the last edition of the Cooch Behar Trophy,” the Gujarat coach said.
Vedant Trivedi (Special Arrangement)
Karia worked on Trivedi’s game against pace and helped him react more sharply. There was also specific training for the ongoing World Cup, which increased the number of shots that could be deployed against the spinners with a view to Zimbabwe’s wickets. Karia has developed Trivedi’s comfort level playing the cut and pull shot, enhancing his ability to switch with some technical tweaks.“Initially, Vedant couldn’t wait for his 40s to make centuries, which was very disappointing. But he responded well and overcame that by batting for six hours a day. Many people feel that batting in an orthodox manner limits scoring opportunities. However, Vedant is well able to step up when the chips are down despite his traditional game,” said Karia.‘Motivation from England series snub’The 18-year-old cricketer was not selected in the U-19 squad for the 2025 tour of England, leaving him in a state of dismay. However, Trivedi took the insult as a challenge and ended up among the only two centurions during a series of matches conducted at the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Consistent performances soon earned him a place in the squad for the tour of Australia, where he finished as the best player. Trivedi drew inspiration from Sourav Ganguly, who influenced his approach to excel during the overseas tour.“Sourav Ganguly’s Contributions Prove Crucial”“Vedant saw a video of Ganguly where he discussed the strokes that can be played in Australian conditions keeping in mind the importance of control on such wickets. He thoroughly followed the approach discussed and greatly increased his comfort level. Special emphasis was placed on a lot of practice drills, facing synthetic balls to develop more fluency,” said the cricketer’s father. Impressively, Trivedi was back on the training ground the very day after landing in India following the Australian tour, where he displayed his commitment levels and focus on the process. The 18-year-old cricketer faces 700 balls in the net every day, practices for six to seven hours.
Vedant Trivedi with parents (special arrangement)
Former Team India cricketer Parthiv Patel played a key role in developing this mental resolve and discussed the importance of a strong mindset. Interestingly, Trivedi is also quite talented off the field and excels at casio. “God is very kind. He is timing everything perfectly as is evident from the comeback strike against Pakistan which came at the best possible time,” said the cricketer’s father. With momentum on his side, Trivedi could emulate his idol’s heroics in the semi-final against Afghanistan and could make a very important contribution in doing so.
